Disconnect coupling



Feb. 22, 1966 c. w. FALKLER 3,236,550

DISCONNECT COUPLING Filed Nov. 5, 1963 ('7 1a 50 J4 j 70 2 23 I WM filth! ATTORNEY-f.

United States Patent 3,236,550 DISCONNECT COUPLING Clarence W. Falkler, York, Pa., assignor to the United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army Filed Nov. 5, 1963, Ser. No. 321,705 1 Claim. (Cl. 287-103) This invention relates to couplers for connecting together two or more sections of a sectional device in endto-end relation. More specifically, the invention is directed to couplers which can be readily engaged and disengaged without the use of tools by personnel wearing substantially heavy hand coverings. The invention is particularly useful in connecting together sections of a portable conveyor which is adapted to be used by military personnel in unloading goods from various types of transport media at storage or transfer points. Such conveyor sections must be light enough to be manhandled by one or two persons, be strong enough to transport substantially heavy loads, must be adjustable to uneven terrain and must include means permitting the sections to be readily aligned even in darkness and to be readily connected together under all adverse conditions of light or weather.

With the foregoing in view, it is an object of the invention to provide improved means for readily detachably connecting together the sections of a sectional device.

A further object is to provide improved interengaging means which automatically aligns the sections as they are brought together, limits movement of said sections toward each other and includes latch means coupling the interengaged limit stop and aligning means together.

A further object is to provide such improved connecting means which includes rigid interengaging guide and stop means, together with movable latch means carried by one rigid means and engageable with rigid striker means to provide the coupling.

Other objects and advantages reside in the specific structure of the invention, the structure of the several elements of the same, combinations and sub-combinations of such elements with each other, and/or with the parts to be connected together, all of which will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art upon reference to the attached drawing which illustrates one embodiment of the invention and the following specification wherein the invention is described and claimed.

In the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional View showing the invention in use, parts being broken away;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary side elevational view showing one pair of coupler elements coupled together;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged view like FIGURE 2 but showing the parts in the separated position; and

FIGURE 4 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the planes of the line 4-4 of FIGURE 3.

Referring specifically to the drawing wherein like reference characters designate like parts in all views, one section of a sectional conveyor or any suitable type, comprises a pair of channel members 10, each having and upright web 11 and outwardly directed top and bottom flanges 12 and 13. A second conveyor section likewise comprises a pair of like channel members 14, 14 having corresponding webs and flanges 15, 16 and 17 respectively. The channel members 10, 10 or 14, 14 are rigidly connected together in any well known manner as by rigid cross pieces 18 or 19. It is understood that the sections mount any suitable conveyor means such as rollers or traveling belts, not shown.

As best seen in FIGURES 3 and 4, the channel members 10, 10 have fixed to one surface of each of the webs 11 thereof a rigid keeper which may comprise a flat strip See 20 of suitable material preferably metallic which is secured in position by any suitable means as by welding or, as shown, by rivets 21. The keepers 20 are disposed at an angle so that their upper ends project diagonally beyond the adjacent free ends of the webs 11. Such projecting free ends are formed with slots or recesses 22 which open toward the adjacent channels 14, 14 for a purpose to be apparent hereinafter. Rearwardly of each slot 22 each keeper is formed with an integral laterally projecting boss 23 from which projects a laterally extending pivot means 24. Any suitable latch means 25 is pivotally mounted on the pivot 24 and secured thereon in any suitable manner as by peening the free end of the pivot. In the species illustrated, the latch means 25 comprises a hook having a downwardly opening recess 26 partially defined by the hook bill 27. The bill 27 is preferably formed with a finger grip 28 which may be conveniently formed by a laterally directed flange on the for- Ward edge of the bill. Thus, each latch or hook 25 may be conveniently raised from the full line latching position of FIGURES 2 and 4 to the release position of FIGURE 3 in a well known manner. Any suitable means, such as the stop pin 29, FIGURE 3, restricts opening movement of each hook 25 to the over center release position illustrated in FIGURE 3.

The webs 15 of the channel members 14 of the opposite section have fixed thereto two rigid bolt members 30 which comprise flat metal strips secured in position by any suitable means 31. The bolt members 30 are inclined oppositely from. the keepers 2t) and likewise project diagonally beyond the adjacent end edges of their channel members 14, 14. The upper end of each bolt member 30 is formed with laterally oppositely extending inner and outer striker members 33 and 32 respectively. The striker members 32, 33 may be in the form of cylindrical studs and are adopted to be in horizontal alignment with the slots or recess 22 of the keepers 20 when the sections are assembled. Also, spacer means 34 of any suitable character are interposed between the bolt members 30 and the webs 15 on which they are mounted. Such spacers 34 correspond in thickness to the thickness of the keepers 20 whereby the bolt members 30 are laterally outwardly offset sufi'iciently to overlap the associated keepers 20 outwardly thereof when the two sections are aligned and moved toward each other. With the hooks or latches 25 in the release position of FIGURE 3, the inner strikers 33 enter the slots or recesses 22 to align the sections vertically and horizontally as well as the limit movement thereof toward each other. The hooks 25 may now be dropped to the latching positions whereby the conveyor sections are readily releasably secured together. Of course, separation of the sections is accomplished by a reverse operation.

Each boss 23 spaces its hook 25 laterally outwardly of its keeper 20 a distance which corresponds to the thickness of its bolt member 30. Thus, each hook 25 and its keeper 20 form what amounts to a vertical slot in which the related bolt member 30 is received. This arrangement can act as a guide but more importantly prevents separation of the conveyor sections by relative movement of the same in one lateral direction or the other. This is a particularly desirable feature in any instance Where the sections are connected together by but a single bolt member, keeper and hook.

A feature of the invention is the upwardly inclined under end surface 35 of each keeper 20. These act as cam surfaces when they are engaged by the inner strikers 33 and guide the latter upwardly into the recesses 22 by simply raising the related section. This can be important when the device is being assembled under adverse light conditions. In this connection, it must be remembered that many military operations such as the unloading and loading of supplies, ammunition, fuel or other items must be accomplished under blackout conditions to prevent enemy observation. Consequently, any feature such as that last described which expediates the operation under blackout conditions may be vital to the success of the maneuver at hand. To a lesser extent the similar inclined undersurfaces 36 of the bolt members 30 operate in the same manner but in reverse. where the channels 14, 14 are aligned above the channels 10, 10, the surfaces 36 may engage the bosses 23 and then be slid downwardly until the inner strikers 33 are in registry with the slots 22.

From the foregoing, it is apparent that the invention may be operated by unskilled personnel wearing protective hand coverings under any light or weather conditions. Likewise, it is clear that the invention may be readily applied to standard conveyor sections or like separable parts without material modification of the same. Additionally, it is plain that the device is formed with a minimum of parts both moving or otherwise and that the same is strong and sturdy in use.

Moreover, while there has been shown and described what is now thought to be the preferred embodiment of the invention, it should be understood that the same is susceptible of other forms and expressions. Consequently, the invention is not considered to be limited to the precise structure shown and described hereinabove but only as hereinafter claimed. 1

I claim:

In a device for connecting together the free ends of two sections of a portable conveyor in longitudinal spaced relation, each section comprising two spaced rigid channel members secured together in parallel spaced relation adjacent the free end portions thereof by a cross piece; the combination of a flat keeper projecting from each of said channel members of one section and extending beyond the free ends thereof, a flat bolt member projecting from each of said channel members of said other section and ex- In such a situation, as

tending beyond the free ends thereof, spacer means spacing said bolt members laterally away from channel members substantially the thickness of the related keeper, an inner and an outer rigid striker on each of said bolt members projecting beyond the free end of said section and extending laterally and beyond the, plane of said bolt member in opposite directions, each of said keepers including a front edge formed with a recess therein to receive said inner striker to limit movement of said sections toward each other and to align said sections in spaced longitudinal relation whereby said sections can move relative to each other in longitudinal alignment, a flat hook pivoted on each keeper, spacer means spacing each hook laterally away from its keeper the thickness of the related bolt member, said hooks being readily detachably engageable'with said outer striker to provide means for readily detachably connecting said aligned sections together in spaced relation, and the above parts being so constructed and arranged that said sections may pivot about a line through the axis of said strikers but held in longitudinal alignment by facial engagement of said bolt and keeper members and by said strikers and hooks.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 872,856 10/ 1907 Spence 193-35 1,226,182 5/1917 Buck 19335 X 1,308,938 7/1919 Donovan 287-99 1,509,512 9/ 1924 Jobski.

1,785,343 12/1930 Gilbert 288-101 2,347,089 4/ 1944 Donaldson 28764 2,449,251 9/ 1948 Rogoif 28764 2,649,177 8/1953 Anderson 193-35 3,097,729 7/1963 Saxe 287--103 CARL W. TOMLIN, Primary Examiner.

THOMAS F. CALLAGHAN, Examiner.

I. B. TALTON, C. B. FAGAN, Assistant Examiners. 

